| Not only did the area of ancient Babylon and Assyria resist
the influence of Constantinople, but it also rejected the Hellenizing
influence of Antioch from the beginning. This East Syrian Church and its liturgy
developed from Palestinian Christianity through Antioch and Edessa with
minimal Greek influence. The Mesopotamian region was evangelized in the
second half of the first century by Mar Addai and Mar Mari. In the 4tgh
century Seleucia-Ctesophone became the ecclesiastical center and self
governance was proclaimed in 424. The Chaldean/Assyrian Church adopted
Nestorianism in 486 soon after the Council of Ephesus in 431. This
division reflected a political and theological tension between two
distinct world views. The Chaldean/Assyrian Church continued its
missionary activity in Persia, India and China, particularly from the 8th
to eh 13th century, but began to decline in the 14th century following the
conversion of the Mongolian invaders to Islam. Communion with the Church
of Rome began in the 16th century and has continued with more and more
success. The Moslem Turks inflicted cruel persecutions upon the faithful
during World War I and greatly reduced their number. In 1999 the Chaldean/Assyrian
Church had 3,588,995 members.
Chaldean/Assyrian parishes in Southern California include:
Contact the Webmaster |